Reviews tagging 'Stalking'

American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis

58 reviews

perth_is's review against another edition

4.5

dark tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Antisemitism, Medical content, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Stalking, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Classism

meg_reads83's review against another edition

dark reflective tense slow-paced

Loveable characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Death, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Murder, Lesbophobia, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Classism

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Stalking

Minor: Body shaming, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Self harm, Excrement

sanrio_snail's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark reflective tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Child death, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Antisemitism, Cannibalism, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Classism

shane_sheridan's review against another edition

4.25

dark reflective tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Blood, Cannibalism, Stalking, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment

dupeskara's review against another edition

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This may be too pussy, but the movie is better. The book was too boring to read and it had so much information for me to remember. The clothes, restaurants... I got confused. This makes me sound like a child... But I think that the whole point of the book is to make you feel like the rich are just boring phychos who want to feel special. The visons that Patrick had were right, as someone who may have phycosis this is sometimes what goes thru my head whether I like it or not - gore and hate. Sorry Mr Ellis, but next time I will read it throughoutly.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Death, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Antisemitism, Stalking, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Classism

ok damn too many warnings the book store owner was right this shit crazy asf

solspringsreads's review against another edition

1.75

dark tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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I get why this book is like this, I just don’t care. (I even get how my “not caring” relates to the themes of desensitization to violence!) I can see why people have been so inspired creatively by this narrative and why people find value amidst the repeated violence and listing of brands; but I feel like it topples over the line between social commentary and reveling in the societal aspects on which it’s supposedly commenting, perhaps moreso than other interpretations/adaptations of this work, like the 2000 film. Even so, I can understand the value in reading this book and why its impact has lasted for so long.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Antisemitism, Islamophobia, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Abortion, Murder, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Classism

imnotmillied's review against another edition

3.75

dark tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Child death, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Stalking, Murder, Sexual harassment

Moderate: Ableism, Drug use, Racial slurs, Racism, Vomit, Antisemitism

sparky63's review against another edition

0.5

challenging dark sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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It was very difficult to read and while likely on purpose, the structuring on some chapters felt like filler

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Biphobia, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Cannibalism, Stalking, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Classism

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Alcohol

evelyncore's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark funny mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Antisemitism, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Stalking, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Classism

Moderate: Ableism, Addiction

Minor: Abortion

coolfoolmoon's review against another edition

1.75

challenging dark mysterious slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Maybe the real Psychos were the Americans we made along the way...

A book is bad when I have to question what purpose it served humanity. I am a person who fundamentally believes that all art can be made with no reason or goal in mind; art for art's sake; art because the person who made it felt something, felt they had to get it out, felt they had something to share with the world. I read this book because I wanted to watch the movie, yes I'm that kind of person, and I wish I could unread it. What purpose did this book serve to the greater good of humanity? Fuck the greater good, what contribution to humanity does this book give? It has no analysis, no deeper introspection into the era, the mindset of the people. There's no meat on the bone that is this book.

It has its moments and its beauty, for sure. I love the stream of consciousness and unreliable narration, I love the speaking to the audience, the break rom reality and seeing things in the perspective of a movie, sure. Those elements are great. But as a whole? I never question why art is made. There's art I like and art I don't like. It's easy for me to spot art I like, It's easy for me to spot art I don't like, and there are definitely things that lie in a middle grey area, but for all three of those things I almost never question why it was made. It's an inherently fascist idea to say art should have a purpose else it is a waste of time or attention but this is one of the few exceptions I've encountered. The movie better be good after the shit I just read.

And to be clear, I'm not just mad at the content of the book. It was very upsetting sure, but

about a quarter in is when you get to the first kill and it's mentioned nonchalant. So you read almost 100 pages and finally get to the part you came for.

Most of this book is a whole lot of nothing. It works, only because that's the style of this particular type of writing, but once the kills start to ramp up it's like Oh, you wasted my time, and now this is TOO intense. And I'm sure the whiplash was also purposeful, and I'm starting to get a little too nitpicky, but there are things that are more important / could have been more central to the plot that were not given any spotlight.

I tried to find it in my heart to give it a higher rating, I really did, but I can't lie to my future self who will reread this review and go "damn, the book was that bad?" Hi, future self. To answer your question: No. The book was much worse.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Death, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Cannibalism, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Injury/Injury detail, Classism

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Transphobia, Vomit, Antisemitism, Stalking, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Pandemic/Epidemic

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Abortion